Crest
by AddriannaDestiny
Summary: The Mikaelson family has it all. Love, happiness and a wealthy empire that they run as a tight unit. Set in the heart of Brazil, the story begins with the return of their abusive and estranged father who arrives with only one purpose, to seek revenge and to destroy their lives, starting with Klaus. AH/Au meme.
1. Pilot

Klaus inspected the dry cherries carefully, he raked a few that weren't good and tossed those to the ground, then he picked up another one that he pressed with two knowing fingers.

He removed the last layer of dry skin and cleaned it from any fruit residue and then nested the small coffee bean in the palm of his hand, it had a good weight to it and the color was magnificent.

"You always did have a good eye." Finn told his brother as he arrived to his side.  
Klaus hurled the bean in the air catching it as it came down with a big smile. "It's going to be a good crop."

"We'll send them to the mill next week to finally begin processing…"  
Klaus looked at his brother knowing him and onto the small halt. "I will not have this conversation with you every single harvest."

The other threw a hand in the air aggravated. "I know, every single one of you is against me on this but with machines we wouldn't have to wait four weeks to dry the fruit and we would be already on the grading process by now."  
Klaus handed the bean he was holding to Finn. "This is the most pure and high quality coffee you will find in Brazil, our family has a legacy in this industry and bringing in machines will only disrupt what differentiates us from the rest of the thousands of other brands. **Crest **is only the top-selling coffee brand in the world because it has a soul, it's a family business and I'm not just referring to us but also to the families that work for us, some of them for generations now and I'm not going to mess that up just because you want to speed the process."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Your charming words sometimes irritate me."  
Klaus laughed smugly. "Because you know that I'm accurate."

"I don't know how you sleep at night being so perfect." Finn grumbled.  
"I don't sleep at night." he cunningly smirked.

Finn grimaced leaning against the concrete where the coffee was drying. "Don't remind me of that, Sage won't even return my calls so please leave your irritating happy married life out of this conversation."  
"She has not forgiven you yet?"

"I took too long to propose… but I suppose she's right." Finn deeply exhaled and nodded to the brother rushing to them on a horse. "Even that dim-wit married Bonnie within a year and I was in a relationship with Sage forever but never had the courage to move things along."  
Klaus turned around to the approaching horse. "Nothing is lost, I heard that some women are weak to a good grovel. I never needed it but…"

Finn eyed Klaus with a scowl. "Please stop before my fist finds your face."  
Klaus only laughed in response.

Kol was clueless to the joke but he had other pressing matters anyway.  
"Did you know that some fella bought the plantation nearby?" he asked slowing down the horse to speak to them.

"Elijah has been trying to buy that property for years now but the family there wouldn't sell it for anything in this world." Finn was surprised with the news.  
"That's what I know as well, they were deeply buried in dept but they were holding on because their first plants were coming around to the 5 year window and they were counting on their first harvest to get back on track."

Klaus was most thoughtful about it as well. "Why would they give up now… perhaps Elijah closed the deal before telling us."  
Kol smiled with the approaching helicopter. "Let's go ask him."

The helicopter came down perfectly on a square of concrete with a huge H on it and Elijah came out of the helicopter ducking from the massive wind the rotors made, he closed his suit jacket once he was safely away from the heliport and fixed his sunglasses.  
"_And all the ladies in theater realized they were drooling over the hot stud." _Kol teased him with a vile narrative.

Elijah sighed placing his hands inside the dark suit pants. "The stud enjoys looking good."  
The other three laughed but it was Klaus that mocked him further.

"The entrance was perfect, I could even imagine the really gripping soundtrack as you came down from the helicopter." he added a chuckle.  
Elijah ran his hand through his flawless hair. "Have you all taken the day off to admire how handsome I am?"

The laughter was in unison and mocking to the last bit.  
"In reality we were wondering if you are returning from a good deal with the owners of the property next to ours." Finn was the first to break the easy moment.

"I actually noticed on my way here that there was some agitation there but I assure you that they haven't changed their minds, at least not regarding my outstanding proposition."  
"The workers say that the property has new owners, they tried recruiting some of our staff." Kol informed his siblings, they all looked disturbed as he had been when he first found out. "I'm going to check on it, we can see a big portion of their plantation from the mill."

Finn and Klaus went to get their horses so they could accompany Kol but when Klaus noticed Elijah just behind them he couldn't stop the tease.  
"Are you getting your suit dirty Elijah? And those really nice shiny shoes aren't made for horse riding…" he laughed as he stroked the head of his white horse.

Elijah took his jacket off and his tie, he was saddling his horse before Klaus and Finn did and with a swift move he was mounting his big brown horse in a record time. "I will race you all to it."  
Klaus laughed easily getting on top of his horse and kicked his boots sending his horse on a race, he almost beat Kol who was already racing ahead of them but by the time Finn caught up to them, Elijah was already flying across them and headed to a win.

It massively ticked off everyone that he was still the best rider out of them all and they all tried to beat him with extra will, he was laughing as he looked back to the losing crowd and knowingly kicked his heels going even faster.  
He could see the mill just ahead of him and he grinned knowing victory was his, terribly lost in his own vain doings, he missed the huge puddle of dirty water and his horse dove straight into it.

Inevitably the roar was loud and incessant, Kol and Klaus were the worst as they laughed to near tears, Elijah pulled the reins and his horse away from the brown water, by now too late and only on time to shake the superficial water still on him and on his horse.  
"That was almost too good to be true." Finn was the only one restraining.

Kol was leaning over his horse with an uncontrollable laugh.  
"I am going to hurt you." Elijah warned him with a strict finger.

He stopped only for a few seconds, then he broke down again because watching immaculate Elijah all smeared in brown was just priceless.  
Klaus and Finn smirked sharing a complicity look and shot to end the race taking advantage of the distraction, Kol and Elijah went after them but eventually they all arrived at the same time to the small fence that separated their property from the one they were spying on.

The friendly banter and laughter quietly eased up as they noticed all the machinery and commotion they hadn't seen happening in years.

"That coffee harvester costs thousands…" Finn whispered.  
Klaus padded the neck of his horse with a serious expression. "They are preparing to harvest…"

"But it's not even time for it yet." Kol said while his horse moved restless from one side to the other.  
"It only means that the new owners are a bit desperate to get their money flowing." Elijah said while capturing a few pictures with his phone.

"Hey!" A man in a dark cheap suit strutted towards them with a pointing finger. "No pictures, put that thing away."  
Elijah cocked one eyebrow at him. "Clearly you are not ordering what I am allowed to do in my own property."

"Put that phone away or I will go there and put it away myself." The bulky guy demanded.  
"Why don't you do just that?" Klaus poked the man with a quiet smirk.

He moved his jacket so it parted enough to show a gun. "I'm trying to be friendly here." he said in a menacing foreign accent.  
Kol gasped. "Oh my God, is that a gun?" he wiggled his eyebrows at the man and then removed something from the holster in his horse, when he rested it in front of him the other man reacted to the rifle.

But he inched back like he wanted to step back altogether, as all Mikaelson men removed their rifles from the holsters.  
"Welcome to Brazil mate." Kol greeted him with the biggest smile.

He closed up his suit and bowed his head slightly. "My employer is very discreet so my apologies if we started this off with the wrong foot."  
Klaus took the safety of his gun off, verging on his short fuse. "I advise you to keep that wrong foot away from my home."

The other man had the strangest smile as he turned away and walked back to the main house fast.  
"Did you get anything Elijah?" Klaus asked his brother but still keeping his eyes ahead of him.

"In order to use those machines they need to register them and I have a few contacts on the ABIC so I will ask around." Elijah assured him.  
It was enough to appease Klaus for now and he restored the safety lock to his gun but before he put it away a loud unfamiliar sound echoed and they all turned wondering who was riding a four-wheeler.

They could barely believe their eyes as the blonde girl speedily came closer, she coolly stopped her heavy transportation just in front of their horses and stood up, she pushed her sunglasses up and trapped the long waving hair.  
"Hello wankers." Rebekah beamed while taking her waist with her hands.

"Were we expecting you?" Kol frowned surprised she wasn't on the other side of the world as he counted.  
"I'm on vacation." she quickly said.

"The highly expensive education that we are providing you at Cambridge is not on hiatus." Elijah scolded her gravely.  
Rebekah shrugged. "I was expelled for a few minor days."

They all rolled their eyes at the same time and one by one they all left in their horses, still they all stopped to kiss their sister, a few more scolding than others.  
"I will redeem myself." she assured a massively reproaching Elijah.

"What did you do this time?" Kol asked refusing to kiss her, he stole her sunglasses instead.  
"I threw a party inside my dorm that got slightly out of hand." she answered fighting with him to get her shades back.

"Was he hot?" Kol tried her shades.  
"_She _was gorgeous." she snatched them back.

Kol laughed heading back to the house and Rebekah looked at the other brother remaining there and consequently the one she was closer to.  
"Did you miss me Nik?"

"With all the women who are already a pestering in my life?" he sighed before winking at her and strutting away.  
She laughed excited to be back home and sat down on her vehicle, then she went for a detailed ride around the vast land they owned and that she missed, she was heading down to the nearest city next.

* * *

Klaus caressed his horse as they reached the stables, he came down with an effortless jump and took the white beauty inside, he handed his horse to one of his employees finding it strange that the gorgeous pony with caramel coat coloring hadn't left the stable today.  
He went to the main house with a fast pace, he rushed up the porch stairs and went straight to the arts room, he came to the door only peeking inside without being seen, he expected to find the somber look and the sulking attire so it only amused him doubly that she was even dressed up for the occasion.

Klaus straightened up and hid behind the door, the 7 year-old was sitting by the huge piano and mopping, she was wearing her horse-riding outfit and her little hat was resting on top of the piano, obviously the little girl was still hoping her mother would change her mind.  
With a forced serious face Klaus headed inside the room which made Kyra swell in hope but also happiness to see him.

"Am I to assume by the way you are missing a horse that you are changing hobbies and choosing music over your beloved pony?"  
Kyra's shoulders slump at once. "Mommy grounded me, I can't go near _Desert _for a week."

"Your misbehaving must have taken epic proportions." he sat next to her on the small bench.  
With a mannerism so similar to her mother's, Kyra tilted her head and wandered her eyes a bit before she met Klaus' blue pearls. "There is this girl at school… she made fun of my accent so I glued my chewing gum to her hair…"

There was a strong struggle from Klaus not to burst into laughter and he lowered his head to her eye-level. "You have an adorable English accent." he hid the endless pride that Kyra picked that one up instead of the American way of speaking. "But nonetheless you do understand that your behavior was wrong…"  
"She looks much better now with shorter hair." she smiled mischievously.

Klaus had no choice but to crumble into a big laugh, he couldn't be mad at her even if he tried and he knew this was going to haunt him later but he still laced an arm around her and brought her closer to his tight embrace.  
Kyra closed her eyes with a big warm smile, she loved how strong her father was and how protected she always felt in his arms. "Mommy won't let me out of my penalty, will she?" she mumbled against Klaus' chest.

He chuckled lowering his head to leave a big kiss on her golden soft blonde hair. "Not a chance in all blazing hell sweetheart."  
She huffed discouraged.

He pulled her a little away from him and tried to cheer her up. "Perhaps it's time to take upon the arts."  
Kyra's expression dropped entirely. "Arts are dull daddy, I want to be a professional horse back rider."

It was his turn to grunt with distress, to which she smiled showing a set of dimples that she inherited from him.  
"I love you so much daddy." she cunningly kissed his cheek and laced her arms around his neck knowing that would erase his grumpy mood instantly.

* * *

Bonnie tried resisting the cookies, she couldn't give into temptation, no, she was going to be tough and she was going to resist it.  
With a determined decision she turned on the heels she couldn't see and walked to the door ignoring the way those cookies were calling for her but with each slow step those horrible appealing chocolate cookies yelled for her and Bonnie stopped just as she prepared to cross the threshold.

"Just one cookie…" she murmured turning around and going back to the counter.  
With a greedy take on the jar, she fished for a cookie that she shoved into her mouth without bothering with finesse, she tried not to get her swollen hand stuck when she dived for a second one.

She slowly turned to the door when Kol loudly cleared his throat.  
"It's just one cookie." she said with her mouth full and literally caught with her hand in the jar.

He laughed enamored with her and came closer to her. "You need to stop reprimanding yourself for doing what healthy pregnant women do, you are eating for two Bonnie."  
"And he's happy to listen to your voice." she wheezed a little with the strong kick she received.

Kol placed his hand over the side she was gently rubbing to ease the small pain and gently spoke. "Hey little guy… give mommy a rest."  
Bonnie gulped down a pair of tearful threats as he bent down to kiss the big display of a baby reaching his sixth month, she inhaled and exhaled trying to fight with her hormones in a jumble.

Kol had one of those dazed smiles that she wanted to slap out of his face when he straightened to focus on the woman he loved.  
"How was your day?" she asked him choosing at the last second to stroke the side of his head instead of slapping him.

"Rebekah is back." he took the cookie jar and a cookie for him.  
Bonnie loved his carefree side so much that she smiled as he shot on a few rambles about his day and the new mysterious neighbors while eating cookies and making a few random hand gestures.

"… but you are not listening to me." he said after a few seconds waiting for an answer to an inquiry she missed altogether.  
She touched her lips cutely smiling and trying to find her way out of this one but his punishment was sweeter than anything she could have hoped for, it came in the form of kisses that left her earning for more of him and her fingers had a feast with his hair that she pulled as soon as his tongue started paving hers.

* * *

"Our daughter is far too sneaky and sassy for her age." Klaus said as he came inside the bedroom.  
Caroline was just ending a very apologetic conversation with the mother of the child Kyra just gave a new haircut, she dropped her phone on the bed with the longest sigh. "I'm grounding her until she turns 20."

"How will we fit the horse inside the house?" Klaus asked with a deep query and squint.  
She laughed with mockery. "It's your fault because you indulge her in everything."

He pulled his Henley over his head and laughed with extreme will. "Am I the one who allowed her to practice last week when we had a tropical storm warning and she ended up soaking wet?"  
Caroline slouched back and dropped on the bed. "We are terrible parents." she complained while staring at the ceiling.

He showed up on top of her with a big smirk. "Far from it love."  
She held on swiftly to one of his dangling necklaces. "We need to learn how to say no to her and to educate her about good and bad… and stuff." she was far from being convincing. "She's a rebel and I never expected to have a rebel daughter, I always envisioned she would be fragile and a prime ballerina like I was."

Klaus swept her delicate cheek with love. "She is extraordinary Caroline."  
"She punched a kid last month." she narrowed her eyes. "I was a lady in the makings when I was her age."

He breathed deeply, the sigh was only because Caroline was this exquisite ivory perfection that somehow fell for his rough ways and now she was his wife and they had the most amazing and beautiful daughter, he was happy and he couldn't care less if Kyra was setting fire to the school, all he wanted was to see them happy and close to him.  
"We need to do something Nik." she insisted.

"I agree sweetheart…" he evilly lowered his head and started kissing her neck.  
"Not… _that_ something…" she unwillingly moaned when his hand trailed her leg and slowly pulled her dress up.

"You are an outstanding mother Caroline." he whispered against a skin he tasted next with the tip of his tongue.  
"Is this the part when you say anything I want to hear just so we can have sex?" she asked him with a judging eyebrow.

He lifted his eyes to meet hers and his smile was dark like his intentions. "No."  
She grunted in response.

"But Kyra is grounded and she won't dare to disobey you, so there's not a chance of having her storming in here and interrupting us." he lowered his chin to pierce her with the precision of his words.  
Caroline moved one leg and brushed her foot against his Denim, the platform pump she was wearing fell to the ground with a loud noise. "Let's try not to be too loud though." she whispered losing her fingers in his curls while losing the other shoe.

Klaus cradled her cheek in his hand and bent down to kiss her, he welcomed her darting tongue inside of his mouth and answered her with the same fire.  
The kisses came one after the other while he started mapping her body with an expert hand.

* * *

"Bonnie and Kol are kissing in the kitchen again, there are no boundaries with those two." Katherine said while checking herself in the mirror.  
Elijah smiled as his snappy girlfriend complained, she fixed one curl that was out of place and was about to kiss him when she noticed how dirty he looked, she winced and stopped him with a fierce finger against his chest.

"What happened to you?" she asked him with wrinkled lips.  
"I failed to see a small lake of unclean water while I was having a horse race." he smiled delighted with the extra tight dress she was wearing.

Katherine pushed him away with her finger. "That's why you smell funny as well."  
"Do you want to join me for a shower?" he started unbuttoning his shirt.

She ran her teeth along her lower lip. "I'm going to resist you for now…" she still gave in just enough to kiss him on the lips. "I have something special prepared for tonight."  
He hauled her back to him by grabbing her neck and stealing a proper deep kiss that left her closer to him once he released her mouth, he commanding stole a smaller kiss once they broke the deeper one. "Am I not deserving of a small clue at least?"

"It involves sexy lingerie and a lot of stamina from you." she teased him with a finger that toyed with his lips.  
He caught her hand and languorously kissed her finger, she bit her lip when she felt the tip of his tongue tasting her finger while he locked his eyes with hers.

"I might be a bad girl in need of a lesson... spanking is optional." she giggled with the look he gave her and pulled back her hand, she turned her back on him and walked away swaying some nasty curves that he would thoroughly enjoy tonight.  
She stopped just before leaving the bedroom. "Enjoy your cold shower." she waved her fingers at him before closing the door.

* * *

"Nik…" she groaned with his steady moves.  
Her fingernails scratched his arm as she tried holding on to him, his tempo was powerful and steady, he was now hitting that spot inside of her that he so well knew and she forced her hand closed around his arm, her other hand was clutching the iron of the headboard.

Klaus was hammering into her now, her body was taking all that he had to give and he was beyond lost in everything that she offered him, she adjusted her body underneath him to fully take him in for the last seconds and he searched for her hand on the headboard.  
Caroline let go of it and entwined her fingers tightly with his, her other hand settled on his back pressing him to her and her leg moved over his ass and then the other so she could lock her legs around him.

Klaus kissed her neck, his free hand outlined the side of her body before he rested his hand on the mattress and hauled a few inches away from her damp body, with the new position Caroline bit her lip hard to prevent the scream but he was mean and his thrusts became slow and deliberate.  
She arched her back knowing it was coming and when it did the sweetest cry out left her throat.

Klaus moved his hand cupping her cheek and instead of stopping his deep plunges, he picked up again a sinful deep rhythm, with that Caroline began to irrationally moan louder and louder and he devoured every last one of those with loving kisses, she clasped her eyes shut and her hand around his necklaces, pulling them with every stroke of that over sensitive place whenever he pushed into her.

She was left shaking and dizzy when it finally came undone for them both, she caressed his large shoulders when he released her hand and smiled in love with her man.

"I love you so much sweetheart." he whispered against the sweaty skin of her neck.  
Caroline kept caressing his skin blissful. "I love you Nik."

* * *

"Where did everyone go? I can't find a soul in this house, except for Kyra, who is miserable in the arts room." Finn asked the couple leaving the kitchen.  
"I wouldn't advise you to go up to the rooms." Kol smirked.

He was going to say how deeply jealous of everyone he was when there was a knock on the front door, Finn was smiling when he opened it but his heart fell to the floor with the uncanny man standing at the door.  
"Finn?" Kol was suspicious of the way the other froze.

The oldest brother stepped aside to reveal Mikael who came inside without being invited.  
"Hello son." he had the audacity of smiling.

"Why are you here?" Kol could barely give voice the words.  
"Lord almighty Kol..." he spoke like there hadn't been a decade since he was face to face with his sons. "You've grown up into a man." he smiled at Kol but his eyes drifted to Bonnie. "And you've gotten the slave pregnant." he viciously dropped.

Bonnie wasn't faster than Elijah who just hurdled down the stairs and managed to stop Kol before he launched himself ruthlessly at his father.  
"Don't do it Kol." Elijah asked of him but it took Finn as well to stop him.

"Let me go so I can finally kill the bastard." he said struggling with his brothers holding him down.  
"Are you touching that already? It's a bit soon to tackle that subject, is it not?" Mikael spiked them.

"You were in prison…" Bonnie tried to complete all the missing pieces she was lacking in spades.  
"I left due to good behavior and turned my life around, now I'm a respected man…" his eyes went to the couple coming down the stairs, he evilly smiled as Klaus met his eyes with nothing but a perplexed gaze. "My most cherished son." he moved a hand to the staggering blonde trapping her wet hair in a bun. "And his beautiful wife." he looked at Klaus again. "I heard you have a daughter now, that she's about the age Henrik was when he died."

Klaus went from livid to heartbroken that easily but the range of emotions changed rapidly by just sharing the same air than Mikael and he was pissed as fast. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"  
"It's easy to understand by the infuriated show that my purposes here are being misjudged and ultimately taken under a callous assumption but I am merely a father trying to reconnect to his sons." Mikael conveyed vulnerability that didn't last, he did however smile when Katherine showed up. "Ah, the model. They tell me that Elijah chose the typical gold-digger although he hasn't married you yet." he sighed. "We all want a lady in the street and…" he motioned his head omitting the rest.

"Drop dead." she simply said not bothering to get the slightest offended.  
"If only looks would kill, I would be fulminated by now." he said amused.

"I want you to leave this house this instant." Klaus warned him strangely calm.  
"The surviving son ordering his father around…" he acidly recalled Klaus of what happened the night Esther died.

Klaus chased away the memories and was about to chase Mikael away as well when Kyra showed up a bit in fear for breaking her punishment.  
"Mommy? I'm hungry…" she frowned with the strange commotion and stopped without going any further into the room, she didn't know the stranger.

Klaus and Caroline had this shared gasp unwilling to have her in the same room than Mikael but Katherine easily smiled like they were just having a big party and went to Kyra with a sweet poke of her nose as soon as she was close enough.  
"I saw some amazing cupcakes that Uncle Elijah brought from his trip to the city and I think we should eat them all." she took Kyra's hand taking her to the kitchen.

Caroline relaxed for an instant but it didn't last and she looked at Klaus who was having a silent conversation with Mikael.  
The old man smiled at him, with cruelty nevertheless. "She's adorable and very pretty, like Henrik was…" he stopped for a few seconds and everyone breathed in at the same time, just praying he wouldn't go there but Mikael was back with a vengeance and he aimed right at the man who sent him to prison 10 years ago. "Have you taught her how to ride?"

Like a horrible collective unconscious move, everyone looked at Klaus and Caroline inched closer to him.  
"Here's to hoping you don't end up killing her like you killed Henrik." Mikael sadistically dropped.

Caroline hurried to stand in front of Klaus, she glued herself to him and laced one arm around his neck. "Don't listen to him…" she begged in a soft whisper.  
"Ah, yes. It was an _accident_." he rolled his eyes. "The horse got frightened with something unknown and dropped Henrik, further stepping on him until you finally managed to pull the bloody animal away from _my _son." Mikael hardened his voice. "Just that he was already dead when you uselessly decided to do anything."

"It's not true, you know that, they had to put down the horse because he went crazy and there was nothing you could have done." Caroline said with her lips melted against his ear and while stroking the back of his neck to sooth him, when Klaus tried moving she begged him not to. "Think of Kyra… she needs her father." she asked him aware this wouldn't end well at all if Klaus was allowed near Mikael. "_I_ need you."  
His breath was hoarse, heavy on all the unsettling feelings that Mikael was easily stirring up but he restrained himself, he rested a hand against her back aware that Caroline was shaking in sheer fear and reassuring her that he wasn't going to ruin his life because of a father that was never that to any of them.

"Bravo." Mikael clapped impressed with Caroline's power to stop such a volatile temper but he was here only on a very early stage of his elaborate plan anyway. "I'm an important man now, I was invited into the country by the government and I chose to live in the house just next to my family. Don't worry!" he raised his hands in the air. "I won't be your competition, I've already ordered for the plantation to be destroyed so rest assured that I'm only here to rekindle with my family."  
Klaus only gritted his teeth, his eyes glistened in tears as the one man he hated most in the world turned around smiling.

"I will see you around, neighbors."  
As he closed the door behind him, Klaus blinked releasing one fat tear that he couldn't stop.

The devil was back to have a chest game with him.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Time of your life - _Green day  
_  
You shook me all night long – _AC/DC  
_  
Sirens Call - _Cats on Trees  
_  
A sky full of stars – _Coldplay_

I kiss the hand of my destroyer – _Chinawoman _


	2. From the cradle to the crest

Klaus merely lifted his eyes as Finn came inside the family den, the older brother took the glass of Brazilian alcohol that Kol handed him and one of the chairs in front of the desk.  
"There was a moving truck and a lot of agitation, he is redecorating the house with the intent of staying." Finn had his drink fast.

Klaus had lowered his eyes thoughtful but he lifted them as another brother joined them.  
"I called everyone I know and no one was able to tell me anything in concrete only that he is legally in the country, hiding behind some security company that allegedly is run by Americans." Elijah closed the door of the den distraught. "There were rumors vibrating of diplomatic immunity."

"The Amazon is the best outlet for diplomats." Kol grunted from his chair.  
"As tempt as I am to help you throw our father into the bottom of a river, I don't want you to raise your son from the inside of a cell." Elijah cut Kol's wings at once.

"And obviously I can't do it because I have two girls who need me." Klaus licked his lips on the way to a smile. "So that leaves Finn out of the unavailable group."  
"I would never survive jail." Finn admitted with the deepest guilt.

The others found the moment funny and easy, it was a contrast to the way things ended during the previous night and how tense the morning had been as well.  
"There's nothing they have thrown at us that we haven't been able to handle as a family, this will not be an exception." Elijah was clearly the voice they all followed and he tried to sooth his brothers. "We chose this country and this property to start over as a family and I'm proud of where we are and how close we all became…" he sighed with a slight shake of his head. "It will take a great deal of iniquity to break this crest."

Kol made this weird purring sound. "You arouse me beyond when you speak like that."  
Elijah slumped back on the chair waiting for the big contemptuous moment as the idiots laughed while Kol wiggled his eyebrows.

"You should teach Finn some expensive words." Klaus laughed pointing at Finn. "He needs to get Sage back."  
Finn avoided the direct barb but he still needed help and reached out to the group of people he trusted the most. "Since we are on the subject, how do I get her to forgive me?"

"Grovel." They all answered at the same time.  
Finn huffed dropping the glass on the desk. "What is it that I should tell her?"

"Ask Elijah, he is good with the words." Klaus pulled away from the desk. "I have to pick Kyra up from school."  
Kol left the den along with Klaus which meant that Elijah was stuck with Finn and a pair of hopeless eyes.

"You are older than me." Elijah reminded the other one. "How come I always end up giving you romantic advice?"  
"You are the one dating the top model." Finn reminded him. "Plus, Kol is annoying, he mocks everything and Klaus is too smug to have a proper conversation with."

"Rebekah is back, perhaps you could try enlisting her help." Elijah stood up quickly.  
"Why are you leaving?" Finn's eyes changed into a puppy-like set.

"I have a reunion at the ABIC." The one in the suit left in a hurry because he wanted to talk to Katherine before she left.  
He found her already packing the last items and his heart darkened with every piece of clothing she was adding. "Are you planning to stay away for long?"

Katherine folded the last dress and then closed the bag with a glowing smile. "I love how you already miss me Elijah but the photo shoot will only take two days and I promise to bring back all the photos that they won't use on the campaign."  
"Remind me again…" Elijah swept her cheek with a loving hand. "Is this another provocative shoot?"

Katherine moaned deliciously melting herself against him and her hands drew a pattern on his chest while she batted her long eyelashes a few times. "It's for a perfume Elijah and the last model went almost nude for the commercial. You know how much I don't enjoy coming in second."  
Visibly the idea alone irritated him so much that he forced his lips and chin tight but Katherine was skillfully used to it, this was her job and she was not a woman to quit doing what she loved just because her boyfriend was jealous.

"This is my craft Elijah, I'm a model and we use our body and image as a tool, that's all there is to it and nothing more. I'll be gone for two days and then I'll be back to my lovely man and enjoy our time together until they call me for the next work."  
As usual in Katherine, she kissed him leaving no possible refute from him and then walked out of the room in her 7 inched stilettos leaving the bag for him to carry.

"I'm off to Italy ladies, try not to miss me much." she waved her fingers at Rebekah and Bonnie who were sitting in the living room.  
"Good luck with the photo shoot, I hope everything goes well." Bonnie was sweet but she was sure that Katherine didn't need it.

The brunette with the heavy curly dark hair didn't linger for a longer goodbye, it wasn't in her personality to be so given to emotional displays and she thanked Bonnie already crossing the front door.  
Rebekah smiled at her brother, the stoic Elijah resembled a lovesick puppy when he was around Katherine but instead of coming off as need, it really felt as if Elijah was just genuinely in love and even the seemingly cold woman looked at Elijah with nothing but love.

"Soon those two will be nurturing one of those." Rebekah looked away from the front door to Bonnie and to her big belly.  
Bonnie shook her head. "Kat loves her career and her body too much to have a baby right now." she circled her arms around her tummy with care.

"How is it to be pregnant?" Rebekah asked curious to something so unknown to her, when Caroline had Kyra she was a teenager far more interested in other things.  
"I eat all the time, my entire body is swollen up and the entire range of my emotions is off the charts." Bonnie replied with candor but she also smiled. "I never thought it would be this good."

"It must be so amazing to feel a little life growing inside of you."  
"I can't wait to see him, to find out if he looks like Kol or if he will take after me. I'm so impatient to hold him…"

Rebekah tossed the bracelets she had been playing with back down on her wrist. "That's why I don't like coming home, everyone is so _happy_."  
"Don't be jealous, I'm miserable like you." Finn joined the ladies and sat just next to Bonnie.

Rebekah gave him a look. "Please… I find it all nauseous."  
"They make me all sick as well." Finn had slouched on the couch and moved his head to look at the sister sitting with her legs close to her.

"How can you sustain all this pitch perfect family vibe?" Rebekah sneered.  
"I plot to kill everyone daily." Finn smirked.

"Shiuuu…" Bonnie demanded an end to the silly talk. "No dire talks around my baby."  
"Sorry B." Finn apologized quickly.

"Why are you here looking so defeated? Go buy some flowers and deliver them to Sage in person, win her back and do something with your life." Bonnie sounded just like a mother.  
"I tried talking to her last week and she threatened to set all her wild horses free while I was in the way." Finn couldn't be more discouraged.

"The biggest fight I ever had with your brother resulted in this." Bonnie tapped her belly.  
It truly ticked off Finn that the two younger brothers in this family had their lives sorted out while he and Finn were struggling in the sand, well, at least he was.

Elijah was happy in his semi-official relationship with Katherine.  
"What about you? How many hearts did you break back in England this time?" Finn asked his sister.

"I'm in the right time of my life to experiment and I'm not slightly ashamed of that or in any hurry to find any sort of sex stability." she stood from the couch with flair.  
Bonnie and Finn laughed as she grabbed the keys of one the cars and left for a little shopping spree.

"I need some advice Bonnie…" Finn asked with sweetness now that they were alone. "I miss my red princess."  
"Every woman loves gifts Finn and you should tell her how much you miss her. If you keep telling her how you feel she will listen eventually because she misses you too."

Finn's eyes went wide with the sudden jolt. "You've talked to her?"  
"I talk to her every day, Caroline as well." Bonnie clarified as she began to leave the couch.

Finn stood up to help her. "How come I did not know that?"  
"The Mikaelson brothers have their brotherhood thingy going on…" Bonnie used Finn's arm to support herself for the final haul off the couch. "While we, the women in this family, have our own code of honor."

"Does she really mention how much she misses me?" Finn asked hopeful.  
Bonnie smiled without saying another word, a code was a code and she went up to her room respecting that.

* * *

"I don't know how I feel about having a shadow following me everywhere." Caroline admitted as they walked the short distance from their car to the gate where they were waiting for Kyra.  
"He won't be following you…" Klaus took Caroline's hand to sooth her. "I'm not that out of my mind to hire another man to be around you all the time."

Caroline knew his tone well and smiled at him. "It's just strange to invite someone else into our home."  
"I'm more than capable of protecting my family." Klaus locked his fingers with hers. "But I can't be everywhere at the same time and he will only be an extra safety for Kyra."

Caroline knew Klaus wasn't asking her, he was informing her that he hired a bodyguard for Kyra. "I leave it to you to inform our daughter that someone will be monitoring her every move from now on."  
Klaus eyed Caroline with a scowl, it was her way of getting back to him for not consulting her before he called in a favor from an old friend.

But like him, Caroline was over the minor disagreement fast and now focused on the small patio filled with all the parents waiting for their kids.  
"Hmm…" Caroline let out first under her breath. "All the piranhas are out today."

Klaus found terribly amusing the name Caroline found for the small group of moms that were into any function regarding Kyra's school, they consisted mostly of divorced women that had a lot of money to spend and he had the clear feeling they would love to bid on him.  
"Klaus!" One of them spotted him and instantly left someone else talking alone, she all but ran to them and then made sure her long platinum hair wasn't covering her oversized cleavage. "And Caroline." she added wishing she didn't have to.

"Maria." Caroline forged a smile.  
"It's been a while since you've both been here at the same time." Maria's happy tone changed with the arrival of the rest of her pack.

"Klaus was here last week." A tall brunette wearing a bright pink running outfit said, she openly flirted with Klaus and kept running her hand through the tight sports pants she was wearing.  
"Yes…" Maria focused on Klaus as well. "I was on vacation in one of those islands that costs my ex-husband's a month of his salary."

The third woman who had been silent until now slightly gazed at Caroline. "The annual school fair is next month, we should meet to discuss how we will organize it this year."  
"Send me an email, I'd love to come up with a list of things we could do this year." Caroline took the small opening to strike. "The School director was very happy with the way things worked out last year."

The trio grunted in unison which was awkward for them and then they all faked their best smiles.  
It was still an open wound how Caroline organized the fair for the first time and raised so much money that the school granted all the kids a free trip to the São Paulo Zoo.

"Will you be donating a painting again this year Klaus?" Maria insisted on addressing him like she was a friend.  
Perhaps due to that, Klaus had a devious smile that made the other woman touch her neck like she was overtaken by a strong uncomfortable heat.  
"I was pondering something a little raunchier nonetheless for the painting this year… would the faculty be offended by a nude?" Klaus carelessly asked.

They all started undressing Klaus with their eyes, not much air was being breathed by them.  
Upon that Klaus looked at his wife with loving attire. "My muse could help me with that."

Caroline made this wooed sound and leaned over to kiss him, as the kiss went on to something more passionate and deep, the other women coiled and decided to turn away from what they desperately wanted but unfortunately didn't have.  
"The kids… are coming out." One of them simply said as they all rushed away in opposite directions.

Caroline smiled against his lips. "Thank you."  
"I'm very good with piranhas." Klaus joked before snatching another peck from Caroline.

She sighed smugly as she expected all eyes on her and she wasn't wrong.  
How they all envied her life.

And Caroline could understand why, she was happily married to this really hot man who still kissed her with the same love and passion he had the day they got married and if that wasn't a motive of envy alone, the wealthy life they led was a thorn for many.  
She was rich, had a beautiful daughter and by the always glowing look she added to the expensive dresses and shoes, she was also having regular amazing sex which left the other frustrated mothers looking at her with a deadly stare.

Stares that she dismissed because Klaus was warming her back with his hand resting on the crook of it and they exchanged a single look before directing their eyes to the commotion coming towards the exit gates.  
The massive confusion of kids running everywhere and screaming was like being hit with a ball of life.

Caroline smiled as a few girls went by her with perfect ponytails, they all had immaculate uniforms and an attitude that reminded her of her childhood.  
And then there was Kyra.

Running through the kids like a hurricane, messy hair that once was a ponytail and scruffy sucks that revealed a small scratch on her knee, also her shirt was hanging out of the skirt in one side but she had the biggest beaming smile out of all the kids.  
She had light-blue eyes and a pair of dimples that came with a squeal once she was close to her parents.

"You both came today." she threw herself at them hugging a leg of each.  
It pulled a joined laughter from Klaus and Caroline.

Kyra looked up beaming at them. "I'm hungry."  
Klaus picked her up in his arms effortlessly. "It would be a surprise if you weren't, have you been running the marathon sweetheart?"

Kyra giggled before kissing her father and then searching for Caroline's cheek.  
"It looks like soccer to me." Caroline tried to make anything of Kyra's hair while they walked to the car.

"It's football mommy." Kyra sighed loudly.  
"Not in my country." Caroline grumbled.

Klaus grinned at Caroline while unlocking the car. "They call it football in here as well." he dropped Kyra back to her feet and held the door while she got inside the car.  
"Look at you, trying to be funny." Caroline opened her door not that amused with him.

He could hardly say the same, his two women were so adorable that he had no alternative but to smile.

* * *

Rebekah couldn't decide on the top, she liked this one because the back disappeared right bellow the bra line but she also liked the other one that was a bunch of stripes put together.  
"Maybe both?" The girl helping her tried.

Rebekah didn't take long to decide. "That's a wonderful suggestion but now I will need a good skirt to go with that top with the open back."  
"I know just the right one."

The shop assistant disappeared towards another infinite row of clothes and Rebekah kept busy by checking the necklaces made of beads.  
"You turned out a very beautiful woman Rebekah."

She froze clutching a few beads in her hand.  
"The last time I saw you, you were just… a little girl." Mikael sighed like he actually missed that time he spent without seeing her.

Rebekah turned to him with angry teary eyes. "You did not just go out of your way to find me here…"  
"I had someone following you, I'm sorry for that invasive maneuver but I wanted to see my daughter. You weren't at the family reunion."

"The same where you called Kol's wife a slave?" she hissed at him.  
"The boy has peculiar likings, I needed some time to adjust." Mikael defended with a simple shrug.

"Kol likes beating up punks with a baseball bat, I hope you adjust really well when he breaks your face."  
"That's not the proper way to speak to your father." Mikael was imperative.

Rebekah's hasty move caused the destruction of a necklace and a bunch of beads gathered on the floor in front of her. "I have none of that. The last one that demanded that role was taken away handcuffed and as far as I'm concerned, that's the only way I want to remember you."  
Mikael took a small step to stand in front of her as she attempted to storm away.

"I was brought up by a violent father who took no shame in beating my mother frequently and my brothers regularly, do you really think that I respect you enough to not hit you right in the face?" Rebekah defied him fearlessly.  
"Your mother used to say that before I taught her that a woman shouldn't speak like that."

Rebekah glared at him but their rough encounter was interrupted by the girl carrying a few colourful skirts for Rebekah.  
"Is this man bothering you?" she asked feeling uneasy with the tall man wearing a dark silk shirt.

"Yes he is." Rebekah took the skirts from the girl. "I found him destroying a necklace and asked him to pay for it, you shouldn't let him leave without doing so."  
Mikael had to smile with the sneaky move and this time did nothing to stop Rebekah's escape.

* * *

Kyra was twiddling her fingers and singing a Brazilian song she learned at school, it was catchy and although Klaus couldn't understand all the words he hummed to the melody.  
Caroline gave him a tilted head and stare, was he seriously humming the silly thing?

Klaus lifted his fingers from the wheel with a shrug to which she shook her head looking away from him.  
Clueless to it Kyra kept singing locked in her bubbly world and like her daughter Caroline was also clueless to the detail Klaus caught as he looked at the rearview mirror.

Klaus squinted slightly and turned left towards a street he usually didn't use.  
"Why are we going this way daddy?" Kyra frowned.

Scratch the clueless part, no one could trick the seven-year old or the mother that was looking fixated at Klaus waiting for an explanation.  
He swiftly turned the wheel to another busy street and tried to keep an eye on the car still following them discretely. "I thought that we could all eat ice cream today, since we are all here." he said the first thing he could think of.

"Yummy!" Kyra clapped happy. "Can I have the double chocolate and mint one?"  
"That's up to mommy to decide." Klaus parked in front of the place with the best ice cream in town, already Kyra was taking her seat belt off and he looked serious at Caroline. "Vanilla for me love."

Caroline was not happy, he was talking riddles with his eyes and the only valid support she had was his body language, it was easy for her to read him only because they had been together for nine years now.  
"We won't be long…" she left the car with Kyra postponing this conversation for later.

Klaus waited a few seconds, when no one left the car parked just behind him, he opened his door fast and rushed to whoever was sitting at the driver's seat.  
"Hello!" he greeted someone with a big smile.

The man in a black suit didn't blink. "Good afternoon."  
"Why are you following me?" Klaus asked at ease, like he was just wondering about the weather.

"It's a busy street, I could be following anyone."  
Klaus glanced around with a growing smile, before the other knew what day it was, he dived his hand through the open window and slammed the man's face against the wheel.

The other cried out in pain and cradled a bleeding nose as soon as Klaus released him.  
Klaus took back the physical threat but not the angry tone. "Go back to him mate and tell him to stop following me around and if I catch you again near my wife or my daughter, I will grant you a tour to the best neighborhood in town, it's the one where people go in walking and leave in plastic bags."

The bully was still groaning in pain to come up with anything good to say and Klaus headed back to the car waiting for Kyra and Caroline.

* * *

"It's a beautiful horse Sage."  
She smiled at the potential new client. "I only have the best horses."

The cute guy found her pleasing like the breed she was trying to sell him. "I know this really good restaurant that just opened and we could meet later for dinner. I find negotiating easier when I'm eating."  
"The dinner sounds interesting but the price won't come down, this is a pure stallion that I'm selling you and I do not bargain with the value of my horses."

"You are one tough businesswoman Sage."  
She smiled with a fair hint of a flirt. "I started this ranch with two horses and two people working for me, now I have to extend the property to fit in all my breeding horses. If you take that one away with you now, that's one less horse to feed and one of the 100 workers I have that will have dinner tonight."

The client laughed delighted. "Maravilhosa!" he opened his arms surrendered to her.  
"I'll take the compliment and the money we agreed on the introduction." she offered her hand to an official shake on the deal.

"I still insist on dinner."  
"You can settle the details with Luis." Sage called her trusted worker closer.

While he handled the final touches of her latest transaction, Sage went back to the main house with a big accomplished smile.  
It was magically erased from her face when she recognized the fancy silver car in the driveway, she even sighed before reaching the porch.

Waiting for her with a big set of flowers was Finn and he didn't budge an inch, not even when she showed him a foul face.  
"Are you here to buy horses? If not, get in that car and drive away fast." she demanded coldly.

"I'm here to apologize…" he lowered the flowers disheartened.  
"Don't know what for…" she grumbled set on going inside the house and away from him fast.

"Sage…" he dropped the flowers on the porch and went for her arms, that was what was important now. "I don't know what you want to hear so I'm going with what I think it's the right thing…"  
She huffed already raging. "What I want to hear?"

"Wait…" he was confused now.  
"God Finn, you are so slow sometimes." she squirmed to get free from him. "This isn't about telling me that you love me after we make love. This is about your inability to commit and I don't understand how that's possible when your entire family lives in that house as one major Southern family."

He responded with affection to her outburst. "Come one love… don't be mad at me… I miss you…" he sweetened his voice as well. "Come on _Gilda_…" he called the loving name he had for her.  
"No…" she pouted but visibly calmer now.

Finn pulled her closer to him with a sly look on his eyes. "How about we have dinner and you teach me how to grovel correctly?"  
"I don't know… I'm still very mad at you."

He detected a small cracking smile and loved that, he inched his face closer to hers but their kiss of peace was ended before it started by Luis who cleared his throat loudly.  
"Yes Luis?" Sage asked him already with a smile on her lips.

"Mr. Gleidson left the address and request for dinner?" he awkwardly showed her a card.  
Finn was too fast and snatched the card from Luis. "What's this?"

"Finn…" Sage wasn't too happy with the nosy move. "Give me that."  
"Who is this fella?" Finn was all about answers now.

To which Sage narrowed her eyes. "I don't like your accusing pitch, I am currently single."  
"Oh all right… have fun then with…" Finn couldn't read the funny name. "Whatever his name is."

Sage picked up the flowers and threw them at Finn. "I will."  
"Brilliant." he cursed as he paced to the car.

"Urgh!" Sage kicked the air.  
How was it possible for someone so passive as Finn to get her so enervated?

* * *

"It's an elephant." Kyra showed her mother the animal cracker. "I'm calling him Grumpy."  
"You asked for cookies and milk before your practice so why are you naming them instead of eating them?" Caroline patiently asked while braiding Kyra's hair.

The little girl crossed her legs on the bed and took the next cracker. "Can you name my giraffe mommy?"  
Caroline pulled the last streak of hair tightly to end the intricate braid. "I'll call her Legs if you eat the cookie."

Kyra twisted her lips a little uneasily. "What about the seal?"  
Caroline looked at door as Klaus' voice erupted.

"I'll call him Slippery…" Klaus said taking the cracker as he laid next to Kyra on the bed.  
"That's gross daddy." Kyra protested.

"I agree entirely." he said at the same time he shoved the cracker inside of his mouth.  
"Daddy!" Kyra gasped. "You ate Slippery."

"And I will eat Legs." Caroline snatched the giraffe for herself.  
Kyra looked at one parent then at the other, they were happily munching so giving in she ate Grumpy as well.

"That's my baby girl." Klaus said proudly before changing his features a little. "But now daddy has something really important to talk to you about." Klaus sat up indicating the serious turn of events.  
Kyra eyed him very attentive. "Is this because of that strange man visiting yesterday?"

Klaus tensed but Caroline was encouraging him with a smile behind Kyra. "He is not a good man Kyra, alas he has moved to the house next to ours so I'm going to ask you to stay away from the property limits. Uncle Kol will be there during your practice today and tomorrow someone I fully trust will be here to serve as a sort of protecting guardian, he will take you to school and be there when daddy can't."  
Kyra nodded understanding the severity of it all. "He will be my bodyguard. Many of the girls at my school have them." she was absolutely comfortable with it.

How could Klaus not melt entirely?  
He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead smitten by this little perfection that surprised him every day.

Kyra snuggled closer to his chest toying with a pendant from one of his necklaces. "The bad man makes you sad, when you speak of him your eyes become cheerless." she said motioning her head up a little to look at Klaus.  
He swallowed a set of tears and poked her nose. "How do they look now?"

She eagerly smiled. "They are sparkly like when you look at mommy."  
"Then we will focus on that." he promised her with a smile.

Kyra nodded. "I love you daddy more than I love Desert so maybe you can focus on that as well."  
Klaus chuckled unable to stop it. "It will never leave my mind again sweetheart."

Kyra beamed but then remembered something vital and turned back to Caroline. "I love you more than I love Desert as well mommy."  
"I know." Caroline handed her the riding hat. "Now go to uncle Kol because he is waiting for you."

Kyra took the hat and jumped off the bed.  
"No running down the staircase." Caroline yelled after her.

Klaus slumped back on the bed thoughtful, his lips parting to a smile as Caroline pressed him down on the mattress with her body, she rested her elbow on his chest and her chin on her hand, she dangled her bare feet in the air and looked at him expecting to hear a voicing of his thoughts.  
"There was someone following us today and Rebekah sent me a text complaining about the same."

Caroline lazily locked her legs together and moved them slowly up and down. "He's just trying to scare us, if he wanted to hurt us he would have by now and we won't show fear by packing up and moving out."  
"Do you still remember how to use that riffle I keep in the office?"

"Of course I do! If he comes near us I will shoot him right in the kneecap." Caroline shook her bouncy curls with a fierce nod.  
His gloom crumbled into a cheeky smile. "No dirty talking while Kyra is still awake."

Caroline bit her lip and gave him just that right sizzling look. "She will be very tired from practice so maybe she will fall asleep early and you know… I love you more than I love my curly iron."  
Klaus grabbed her and turned them, she laughed as she was now under him and that amazing sound filled the room and his heart.

"I won't let him destroy what I have Caroline."  
"I trust you." she quietly granted him permission to do whatever it took to ensure that.

* * *

"This is as far as I go for safety reasons." Bonnie was afraid to go near the horses.  
"I'll be right over there if you need me." Kol kissed her with a little wink as he left with Kyra.

"Uncle Kol…" Kyra looked up at her favorite uncle. "Will you love me less when your baby is born?"  
Kol laughed quietly as they neared Desert. "I have a giant heart darling so nothing will change between us."

"Do you promise?" she asked him demanding a frank answer to her heartfelt question.  
"Cross my heart and hope to look dashing as I die."

Kyra burst into that natural laughter of hers and then laced her arms around her beloved pony. "Sorry I wasn't here yesterday. Mommy grounded me because I behaved badly at school."  
As always she was charming with Desert who absolutely loved her and nudged her with his head.

Kol was already planning to buy a pony for his baby and with that in mind he looked for Bonnie, it startled him that she was headed his way with something in her hand.  
He rushed back to her meeting her half way.

"Someone delivered this at the front gate." she whispered when he arrived closely enough.  
It was a box and Kol opened it to find a piece of paper with beads attached to it, they formed a word that didn't leave anyone indifferent within this family.

**Henrik**

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Dear Darlin' – _Olly Murs _

I followed Fires – _Matthew & the Atlas_

Firelight (In the open) – _Young the Giant _

Snowfall - _God is an Astronaut _


	3. My father's son

He mapped her naked wet shoulders while the kiss lasted, her hand was enamored with his neck and while she snuggled closer to his chest Klaus trapped her between his strong arms.  
Caroline smiled at him when the kisses met a small pause. "Kyra will be up soon so we need to end this…" she sighed stroking his chest now.

The words were nothing but gloom and doom to him because they were in the bathtub and he wanted to stay here a little longer with her, to keep his arms around her and to kiss those lips that inched closer to him again.  
He kissed her slowly, even though he knew she was right, there was no will to let her go just yet and his big hand covered all of her back knowing blindly every line in her body.

Caroline lazily lingered her lips on his just as she opened her eyes to look at him. "Mr. Blue eyes and dimples… I _have_ to go."  
He tightened the circle his arms were making around her. "We can make an extension of ten more minutes." Klaus was devious in his smile.

"That's what you said an hour ago." she reminded him before giving him one last peck on the lips.  
Then as she pulled away from him and stood up Klaus did nothing but admire the woman married to him, she wrapped a towel around her body but as she got ready to leave he grabbed her hand.

Caroline looked at the man sitting inside the tub. "Can I help you with something handsome?"  
He answered her easy tone with a gentle move of his thumb over her skin, it was enough to leave Caroline affected because Klaus wasn't one to voice his love for her every day but during the 9 years they had in common she had learned to collect all the silent _I love you_ declarations that he hinted with a look or a gentle touch.

She returned the loving look and then left him alone in the bathroom, Caroline chose a flowery dress for her day and she undid the casual bun to allow her natural curls to bounce their way to the middle of her exposed back.  
She wasn't going to make a big deal out of her makeup but she always loved to make her eyelashes thick and black so she focused on that, of course that by the time she made it out of the bedroom Klaus was still enjoying his time in the bathtub and she knew that their daughter wouldn't be remotely ready either.

Kyra was still struggling with her long socks when Caroline came into the room and she immediately tried to bargain with her mother for a slight change in her uniform.  
"I have a big game today mommy, girls versus boys." she climbed on the bed so she could stand tall when the moment to ask came.

"Sounds very pivotal." Caroline started fixing the big mess of clothes on the bed.  
Kyra nodded vehemently. "The boys won last week and I won't let them win again."

"I can feel a request coming on the way." Caroline said as her eyes landed on the shoes calmly resting near the bed.  
"Can I take my Chucks instead of shoes today? They would be easier to play footy with." Kyra held her breath expectant.

"You know how the school has a strict policy about that." Caroline folded her arms, truth be told, she was stricter than them.  
And no one knew that better than Kyra. "It's just for today mommy…" Kyra looked at Caroline with big pleading eyes.

Caroline sighed which was a big fat yes to Kyra and the little girl jumped on the bed excited.  
"But you have to let me fix your hair today." Caroline held the Chucks for Kyra.

Her shoulders fell and her face went gloomy. "Must I?"  
Caroline waved the black ankle shoes with a custom spider web on the sides, she also had a big grin to go along with the blunt blackmail.

* * *

Kol chuckled as he came into the dinner room, Kyra was eating her breakfast with a big scowl for him, surely anticipating the cutting remark on the way.  
"You look so beautiful today darling." he took the chair next to her with a big teasing smile.

Kyra glared at him. "I look like a doll."  
"But such a gorgeous one." Kol admired the true work of art that was Kyra's hair today.

There was a lace braid headband that cleared her face entirely while the rest of her long hair fell loosely in the back and he knew exactly how much she hated looking so girly for school so he decided to cheer her up.  
Kol poured black coffee into his mug. "Are you ready for the big day princess?"

Kyra's mood was turned upside down. "We are going to win." she assured her uncle.  
"I have complete trust in you." Kol nodded with seriousness.

"And I'm going to _accidentally _kick that boy today if he keeps upsetting me." she also guaranteed.  
That precise minute Rebekah joined them in the room with a smile. "So the little incident last month when you punched that little guy had Kol's mentor help all over it."

"It wasn't an incident auntie Bekah, he was telling another girl that I liked him so I punched him in the face." Kyra said all naturally.  
Rebekah pursed her lips enchanted. "You are such the pride and joy of this family."

Kyra smiled in all of her innocence. "Daddy says that I remind him of you."  
"Like he was a saint…" Rebekah scoffed while reaching for the coffee.

"Did daddy misbehave much when he was my age?" Kyra asked for information with big intrigued eyes that were impossible to resist.  
Rebekah exchanged a small look with Kol before speaking. "Our childhood was a bit different from yours sweetheart."

"He told me once that he only started smiling when he met mommy."  
Rebekah widened her eyes while sipping on her coffee, God help her with Klaus and his epic romance with Caroline, it was like a constant slap on everyone's face just how perfect they had it.

"It's not far from the truth." Finn arrived last but still on time to listen to Kyra's last comment.  
He could still remember clearly the day Elijah decided to take everyone to the Ballet, how Klaus complained all the way to the play and even once inside the Theater threatened to flee, until he saw the Prima Ballerina and became hauntingly silent.

"He was all grumpy and whiny and then he saw a blonde beauty wearing blue…"  
"It was mommy!" Kyra eagerly interrupted Finn.

"Yes, it was Caroline and Nik found a way to go backstage to introduce himself and…"  
"He sent her flowers every night until she accepted to have dinner with him." Kyra interrupted him yet again.

"Obviously you know this story better than me." Finn poked her nose across the table.  
She laughed wrinkling her nose. "Of course I know it, it's magical."

It could be seen as child's innocence but everyone at the table knew how accurate the youngest Mikaelson was.  
"In some countries it's seen as stalking." Rebekah mumbled under a joint scold from her brothers.

Kyra tilted her head like she didn't understand. "Mommy said that she made daddy chase after her because she liked the flowers."  
Everyone started laughing which confused Kyra.

It also left Caroline a bit wary when she walked in on the morning glee. "What am I missing?"  
"Nothing." The siblings answered at the same time and Kyra was smart enough to keep her lips tight.

"Okay…" Caroline waited for Kyra to leave the table and to reach her but she still looked behind suspicious before leaving.  
Immune to the silly grownup stuff Kyra was stretching her arms and making her fingertips touch, she twirled around to her mother. "Look mommy, I'm a ballerina."

Caroline smiled through the small ache lodged in her heart, alas it was a dream that Kyra never wanted to follow. "With a little work on your posture…" she lifted Kyra's chin up and fixed her hands so that they looked like they were forming a single line, then she smiled sweetly. "Now you are a ballerina."

"I've seen you do it like this…" she pressed her lips hard and tried to stand on her toes, the Chucks made it impossible to support her weight and she inevitably lost her balance.  
Caroline caught her just as she was about to tumble violently to the floor and carelessly Kyra burst into laughter.

"That wasn't very graceful mommy." she giggled amused.  
Caroline shook her head. "Come on, let's get you to school before you end up opening your head in one of the art sculptures that your uncle Elijah brought from his trips."

Still, Kyra fearlessly decided to make the short journey across the hallway with spins and twirls, before they reached the lobby she stopped and faced her mother thoughtful.  
"Sweety?" Caroline frowned a bit.

"Are you very sad that I didn't want to be a ballerina like you were?"  
Caroline crouched in front of Kyra and stroked her cheek. "I love you just the way you are sweety and I wouldn't change a thing about you."

And that was the raw truth, no matter how different her daughter turned out from what she always imagined she would be, she loved Kyra with all of her heart and she was amazed by her every single day.  
Kyra laced her arms around her mother's neck and squeezed them together hard, she even closed her eyes just thinking how much she loved her mother.

* * *

"Isn't Bonnie coming down for breakfast?" Rebekah asked between bites.  
Kol stole her other half of a bagel with a smirk. "She's still sleeping."

"The woman is twice her size, can you give her a little rest at night?" she judged Kol with a cocked eyebrow.  
"I only did what she asked me to do." Kol explained at ease.

Finn frowned pausing on his breakfast for a moment. "Do you mean that… you still have sex?"  
"How much exactly do you know about pregnant women Finn?" Kol eyed him with an odd expression.

"I don't know much about women altogether…" he sighed with grimace. "Considering that my one girlfriend since high school is currently avoiding my calls."  
"I think I'm going to visit her today." Rebekah launched a tease.

"Will you put in a good word for your older brother?" Finn asked at once.  
"Are you still in high school Finn? Get your own sex." Rebekah collected on the full tease now as she left the table.

Finn rolled his eyes primarily but then focused on Kol. "Really?" he asked again.  
Kol stood up taking an apple with him. "I suppose you also don't know that Nik and Caroline have to get up at six in the morning to have sex before Kyra wakes up…"

Finn opened his mouth but then nothing came out, why bother?  
He didn't have any cool stories to share.

* * *

Kyra didn't know the man standing with her father and she held on to Caroline's hand harder a bit cautious of what was coming now.  
"And here are my girls." Klaus smiled at them before facing the man with him. "This is my wife Caroline."

The man shook hands with Caroline holding a big smile and then he looked at the little girl next to her. "So this has to be Kyra."  
She guided her blue eyes all the way up to the man with dark skin, brown eyes and shaven hair. "You are big."

The way she said it pulled a joined small laughter from everyone but no one was smiling as much as the man, he bent his knees so that he could lower a bit to her.  
"I'm Marcel, I'm your new bodyguard." he introduced himself.

"I didn't have an old one." Kyra quietly said.  
Recognizing the sass he chuckled with joy again. "I'm here to take you to school and to anywhere you need to go."

"You are really big." she insisted on the way he looked so massive to her.  
"I'm here to make others afraid, not you Kyra." he tried to keep things light between them so he added a small joke. "So you can see me as a giant teddy bear."

She smiled finding the image funny. "But the one that mommy gave me is prettier, it was hers when she was little."  
"Very assertive." Marcel straightened up with a glance to Klaus.

"Confidence never hurt anyone." Klaus showed his dimples in a big smile.  
"Hmm…" Marcel suddenly had his doubts about the new gig.

* * *

The easiness in which Kol reached the staircase faded as soon as he saw Bonnie sitting on top of the stairs and he rushed to her with an unsteady heart.  
"Darling?" he tried to keep his voice on the steady side.

But she knew him well and smiled. "I'm fine, I just got tired and had to sit down."  
"I snatched a green apple for you."

"My favorite." Bonnie took the apple happy.  
She had assured him yet Kol looked worried and before she sank her teeth into the apple she leaned over to kiss him. "Don't worry so much."

"I'm trying not to." Kol was candid with her, the fact that she was nearing those critical 7 months of pregnancy did leave him worried that something might go wrong.  
"It's just harder for me to move but I'm not going to stay here for another two months and have the baby on the stairs." she joked while eating her apple.

"We could arrange for that you know?"  
Bonnie laughed. "Will you get me a tent and deliver food so I can camp out right here where I'm sitting?"

"We could move to one of the rooms downstairs so that way you wouldn't have to constantly go up and down the stairs." he suggested.  
She simply shook her head. "We made our baby in our bed and I'm not going to sleep anywhere else, plus I wouldn't feel comfortable doing what we did last night in some random guest room." she gently bit her lip.

He swept her cheek with a loving touch. "Do you want me to bring you breakfast then?"  
"I'll go down to the dinner room myself…" she had a deep breath. "Will you help me up?"

He nodded but it wasn't his legs that were moving, it was his lips that glued to hers and gave her one long and lasting kiss.

* * *

Caroline checked her watch wishing that time would stop getting away from her strict control but the flock headed her way was a horrible omen, she was too late.  
"Someone missed the important meeting…" Piranha number one said.

Caroline swallowed her everlasting will to call the women for what they were and focused on their real names. "Maria, I'm sorry. I had a really chaotic morning."  
"Don't tell me that Klaus is a _morning _man." The tacky blonde always in the jogging attire said with malice.

Simply for that Caroline never wasted a golden chance to strike. "Actually yes, he woke up all heated and willing and we had sex for an hour and then spent another one kissing inside of a hot bubble bath." Caroline pretended to be all flustered about it when in reality she had been the one waking Klaus up with a naughty hand.  
The trio of killers all fanned themselves at the same time, surely imagining how vigorous Klaus was and Caroline had no problem providing more images to their daydreams.

"Just between us girls…" she leaned over furtively. "It's hard to keep up with Klaus and his stamina."  
Now she was just stretching that rope but she pulled the knot together enjoying how they all seemed to be thinking of a way to kill her, ditch the body in the swamp and then become Klaus' harem.

Finally one of them cleared her throat and tried to keep a non-drooling face. "Anyway…" she fretfully smiled. "We've decided this year's charity event."  
Caroline shook her bubbly curls. "Without me?" she wheezed a bit. "I mean, so soon?"

"The headmaster wanted things decided quickly so that we had more time to organize it, you know how things can be slow in Brazil sometimes." she waved a few papers in her hand for cool. "It's this damn sun, we can't do anything in a rush."  
"Yes…" Caroline really tried to keep her smile, she was sad that she wasn't given a chance to present all the great ideas she had this year. "And what are we going to do for the charity event?"

"We are going to arrange a fashion show." One of the women squealed absolutely excited.

Caroline twiddle with a wayward curl, Kyra was going to sulk and close herself in the bathroom with raging promises to never come out again, she could already see the entire play running in her head.  
"Aren't you thrilled? My daughter will start looking for dresses as soon as I tell her. "

"This will be amazing and we need to schedule something already for next week so we can start getting our hands buried in glitter." The one that usually was quiet thought it was a good time to speak considering how no one ever asked her opinion.  
And it was one visibly ignored by the others that kept on talking about cute dresses and makeup that wouldn't be too raunchy for children.

"Email me later with what you have already, I will try to think of something charity worthy." Caroline added ready to walk away.  
"Of course that we will charge for the entrance." Maria said offended by Caroline's tone.

"But maybe we could use old dresses that the girls have instead of buying new ones and then we could sell those as well… it's just a thought." she made sure to add with a much less drastic tone this time.  
"Oh yeah… sure." Maria flicked her hand like she would think about it later.

It was definitely Caroline's cue to leave and she headed for the parking lot with a strange feeling, she had it all morning and things started fitting like a puzzle when she reached the front gate.  
Because it was a private school where many of the important families in Brazil had their children, there was a strict control whenever someone strange tried to cross the front gate and thank God for that.

"No... no, no." Caroline breathed as she hurried her pace to reach the gate where the private security guard was talking to another man. "Don't let him in." she warned as soon as she was close enough to them.  
"Mrs. Mikaelson." The security turned to her serious. "I wasn't going to, the gentleman was merely asking for directions."

Caroline let out a troubled chuckle. "It's a deception, he is here to check on Kyra."  
The security guard was not pleased and immediately took another approach towards the older man in a dark suit. "Can I see your identification Sir?"

Mikael merely smiled entertained with all the fuss. "Isn't it a bit far-fetched to demand my identification when I'm simply asking for the shortest way to the nearest bank?"  
"This is private property Sir and because there are children in here, I am required to check for sex offenders whenever a suspicious situation calls for it."

The security was tall and skinny but he was very commanding and it relaxed Caroline that he was wearing a gun as well.  
Mikael opened his suit and took the wallet from his pocket, he handed it to the man in the dark blue uniform and kept his eyes on Caroline as the other man went inside his booth to make a call to the Police.

"Aren't you being a little dramatic Caroline? I only wanted to see my granddaughter."  
Caroline's hands were turned into fists that she kept close to her body. "Stay away from my family."

Mikael was further amused. "They were my family before they became yours Caroline and I have every right to talk to my granddaughter."  
"No you don't. You are no one to her, not even a ghost because you simply don't exist to her."

"You haven't told her about me?"  
"You don't exist." Caroline repeated between clenched teeth.

"I'm here to stay Caroline and I will speak to Kyra, no matter how hard you try to avoid it or how many noses Niklaus breaks on his way to pay me a visit."  
Caroline narrowed her eyes upset. "Leave my family alone."

"Does Niklaus really enjoy having a bossy wife? I figured he would enjoy quieting that cheeky tongue of yours."  
It was very little human-like the sound Caroline made next and she even inched closer to Mikael. "I wouldn't expect you to know how a real man acts."

"So he doesn't raise his voice and occasionally his hand when things don't go his way?" Mikael kept on stabbing her with cruel innuendos.  
"My husband is a wonderful man and a loving father that didn't inherit a thing from you." she made sure he got just how much she was critiquing him.

"Make no easy assumptions Caroline, that is the thing that ticks off men the most. When petulant little flowers such as yourself believe that they know more than us."  
Caroline gulped down knowing he was implying that it was his twisted right to prove them wrong. "Niklaus is not like you."

"He is my son and he does have that peculiar nasty temper." Mikael left that in the air as he turned to the security guard now coming closer to them.  
"I'm sorry for the wait but everything seems in order… Mr. Mikaelson." he looked at Caroline who lowered her eyes.

"That's quite all right, I got to enjoy a nice conversation with my beautiful sister-in-law." Mikael wandered his eyes across Caroline's chest as he kept his documents safe.  
"Either way, if Kyra's parents choose to limit the people allowed near their daughter, it is the duty of the school to make sure you won't come further than where you are standing now."

Mikael was impressed by the man and nodded before turning his back on them without another word.  
"Can you please make sure he doesn't talk to Kyra at all?" Caroline asked the man she knew fairly well, his brother worked for the family at the property.

"I will Mrs. Mikaelson, your husband was here earlier with the man who will pick Kyra up from now on and I will make sure no one else gets too close to her."  
Caroline thanked him vaguely using her strength and left to her car trying to call Klaus in the process.

* * *

She wasn't done parking and already she could see Klaus waiting for her in the driveway, she raced out of the car and into his arms.  
"Are you all right Caroline?" he shot straight to what he needed to know off the bat.

She crossed her hands behind his back so that she could intensify the hold around him and tried not to sniffle, although her voice came out strained. "He creeps me out Nik and he was there to see Kyra…"  
"I will handle this Caroline, he won't try it a second time." Klaus stated while pulling her a little away from him.

His angry face scared her and she fiercely grabbed his sleeves so that he wouldn't move. "I won't let you do anything stupid. He was disturbing but I made sure he won't be allowed inside the school and I'm far more scared of what he might do to you if you go over there and confront him."  
"He's taunting us, playing games like the necklace he sent yesterday." Klaus looked right on the verge of snapping.

But her touch was magical and she cradled his face with a sooth that only belonged to her. "The only manly action I need from you now is a hug and a kiss, Kyra needs us both waiting for her when she gets home because it's been a day of changes for her and she needs the stability and that horrible ugly man can go screw himself." she cutely gave in to her rage. "I won't let him win so early into the game, he is just taunting us like this because we are letting him, like he is the monster now living under our beds and forcing us to sleep with our lights on." she made this huge disapproving sound.  
"He won't disturb us again." Klaus gave her that assurance.

"You are not going there today, do you hear me?" she raised her voice knowing him too well.  
"I'm only postponing the inevitable, he won't stop with the charades until we are standing alone in a room."

"I am not letting you out of this house today, I will strap you to the bed if I have to!" she threw her hands in the air.  
"We tried that once sweetheart and it wasn't as erotic as we thought it would be." he succumbed to a devious smirk. "We enjoy touching each other too much."

She released all the tense air inside of her with a single gush and tried shoving him away from her but he gently took her wrists and pulled her closer to him.  
"Wrath of hell under control." he calmed her down.

"I just..." she gazed at him worried. "I love you and I worry that this horrible past you have with him might cloud your judgement."  
"He was an abusive father who enjoyed having me on the other end of his belt and when my mother tried leaving him he killed her. He is a murderer that I sent to prison by testifying against him and every day I think of the moment I pointed my finger at him at court and how he swore he would kill me when they read his sentence."

Caroline blinked knowing the tears were gathering at her eyes.  
"And every night I dreamed of that moment until I saw you dancing on that stage for the first time." he brought her face closer to him and he carried on whispering while kissing away her tears. "You made me realize there was beauty in the world after all."

She clutched the hand on her cheek hard. "I love you..."  
Klaus kissed her with a fiery passion that hadn't wavered a smear over the years, and precisely because of that he _had_ to do something.

Maybe not today because she needed him here with her but being passive was not in his genes.

* * *

Kyra wasn't pleased at all that no one was waiting for her at school and she kicked a loose rock in the courtyard trying to make time go by until she spotted the SUV that belonged to her father arriving to the parking lot.  
When no one came out she was truly dismayed, someone could have warned her that her new bodyguard was a lazy shadow and that he couldn't be exposed to the sun.

Kyra opened the back door of the SUV and tossed her bag into the far end of the back seat while climbing the car to take her place inside.  
She strapped her seat belt but when the delay was too long she eyed Marcel looking for an explanation as to why they weren't moving yet.

He was watching her with an arm on the wheel while he was rotated to easily face her. "Why did you get inside the car?"  
"Because I know the car and it's incredibly hot outside." she crossed her arms across her chest.

"What if I wasn't the one waiting for you?" Marcel asked without sympathy.  
Kyra frowned.

"From today on, you won't go inside of a car even when they are familiar until you see me or someone from the family. Do you understand Kyra?"  
She silently answered his severity with a motion of her head.

Marcel smiled easing his hard features. "How was your day at school?"  
"Horrific, thanks for asking." she answered with a sulk.

"Is there anything I could do to make it better? I heard that you like ice cream."  
"I want to go home." she wasn't easily sold like that.

* * *

Caroline was sitting with her legs stretched over the couch while Klaus was sitting straight and shielding her with his chest, he was going through the workers schedule.  
Since they just ended another long harvest which was done by hand and throughout a very strenuous week, it was tradition to give the workers paid vacation and a bonus if the crop was good.

This year fortunately it wasn't an exception and Klaus was just finishing the last details before clearing the money transfers, most of the workers came from the poorest parts of the country, the famous _favelas_ were the only home these people could really afford but the Mikaelsons paid well and on time which made their lives increasingly easier and then there was also the small aspect of respect.  
By treating them fairly the Mikaelson family never had a single incident regarding their safety and the rich property they explored, in easy language one could say that every shady person in this part of Brazil either worked for the Mikaelsons or feared the ones working for them.

They didn't bring their side business inside the plantation and Klaus didn't care what they did outside of it, it was an arrangement that worked well both ways.  
Klaus always told Caroline he felt safer by having the criminals working for him rather than keeping them outside the steel fortress they lived in and if in the beginning she was worried to start a family here now she couldn't imagine it being any different, she even convinced Klaus to build a smaller house for those workers whose home was too far to go back to every night.

She knew all their names and they all loved Kyra like she was related to them.  
The true notion of a family working together was the biggest secret behind **Crest**'s success.

"I will need Macumba to make Kyra agree with any of this…" Caroline dreadfully went through the list she received on her email.  
Klaus laughed softly. "I heard the Silva family has a way with black magic, do you want me to speak with them?"

Caroline closed her laptop and tossed it to the side. "Honestly?" she looked at him. "It wouldn't be our daughter if she rejoiced in satin dresses and tiaras."  
"She hates arts, Kol tried getting her to love baseball and she ended up loving football instead, Elijah tried instigating her love for books and she called him tedious. Finn often says she resembles Sage more than any of us because of her immense love for horses."

"She has your dimples and that nagging way of being sneaky when she needs something." Caroline widened her eyes before taking her accusing look away from him.  
"Well sweetheart…" Klaus licked his lips. "We all know that triangles and math isn't her fortitude."

Caroline dryly laughed. "No matter how much you convince yourself otherwise, you are not funny Nik."  
Unlike her he laughed loudly and with will but he also tightened his arm around her, like Kyra he found her just perfect and he made Caroline melt when he kissed the top of her head with love.

She rested her cheek against his chest and quietly outlined the beads on his necklace, kept to herself and to her happiness.  
Kyra arrived home with a foul mood and went to her parents with dragged feet, she dropped her bag on the floor and slumped on the couch across Caroline's waist.

Caroline stroked her face while Kyra kept her eyes closed.  
"How was the game sweetheart?" Klaus asked putting his papers aside.

"We lost." Kyra opened her eyes to them. "The girls in my team are all rubbish." she complained.  
"Next time it will be better." Caroline comforted her with a caring touch across her face.

"I'm miserable." Kyra said dramatically. "How will you cheer me up?"  
Klaus and Caroline chuckled at the same time, of course that she had a plan already.

"We could all go horse riding." she softly asked.  
Caroline looked at Klaus, it only took one look to know his answer. "I will get my riding boots." she said with a smile.

Kyra shrieked elated.

* * *

"Nik just cleared the bonus." Kol informed Diego.  
The black man with a big hairdo was the one in charge of the other employees and although he was a really easy-going man, no one wanted to be on his bad side because it usually came with a knife that he hid on his left boot.

Diego took the big envelope with a grin. "That's why I like you boys, you know how to keep us happy."  
"I'm a big fan of your parties." Kol expected one very soon.

And Diego didn't disappoint. "Tomorrow night there will be a lot of Capoeira and Cachaça at the workers house, of course that you are all invited."  
Kol's smile wasn't as lasting as before. "Bonnie has been really tired lately…"

"It's the heat, it was the same with my sister when she had her son."  
Kol was tired of hearing the same thing but everyone was determined to blame the weather so he wasn't going to engage on a one-man war over this, her next doctor's appointment was coming up soon anyway.

"Speaking of heat…" Kol shifted attention to something else equally vital. "Have you found out anything about the crows next door?"  
"Word on the street is that they are suited rats with their paws on something dirty but I don't know what yet."

Kol knew Diego would come around with news soon enough so he didn't keep him any longer, instead he wondered where Elijah was, he hadn't seen him all day.

* * *

Mikael was happily filling two glasses with alcohol when Elijah was escorted to his presence. "I take it that you received my proposal."  
Elijah looked at the suit next to him waiting for him to leave, he wanted privacy and Mikael granted him that by sending the thug away with a simple lowering of his chin.

"The offensive offer you made to sell this property to us?" Elijah asked in a very neutral emotionless voice.  
"You are the knowledge behind that family business Elijah and naturally that explains the wise decision behind this visit. I heard that you were after this land before I moved in."

Elijah remained motionless. "And the surprise visit that you made this morning to Kyra's school… what was that?"  
Mikael went around the question remaining focused on the main topic. "I knew it was a question of time before you did the right thing Elijah and I must tempt you with how profitable our union could be." he handed a glass to Elijah. "From one business man to another, I vouch to you that we can do great things together son, if you take my side."

Elijah took the glass he was offered and then swiftly punched Mikael right in the middle of his face, he took the handkerchief from Mikael's jacket pocket and cleaned his hand after leaving the glass on the table.  
Mikael looked at him raging and hissed at his son when Elijah threw the handkerchief back at him.

"I don't want anything that comes from you and as far as I'm concerned you are no father of mine so restrain from calling me son." Elijah said as he walked away.

* * *

It had been such a busy day for Kyra that she fell asleep right after dinner, it was up to Klaus to take her to bed and tuck her in, she made this adorable sigh once under the sheets and in her sleep she searched for the teddy that she snuggled close to her face.  
Klaus kissed her cheek before leaving her bedroom knowing she was safe and he arrived to his bed pretty exhausted himself.

Caroline was already lying on her side and instantly cuddled up to him, she buried her face in his neck taking in that amazing familiar scent of his and waited for his warmth to envelope her like a soothing blanket.  
"Are you going to wake me up at dawn again?" he asked in a low tone of voice.

Caroline kissed his neck languidly. "No... it's your turn to wake me up Nik."  
He smiled wrapping his arms around her.

* * *

"Do you want us to do something about this?"  
Mikael eyed the man in front of him coldly. "I want to be left alone."

The man did as required and closed the double doors once outside, now that Mikael was alone he pressed the cold glass against his throbbing cheek and opened the small drawer on his desk.  
He removed the small wooden box from inside and took the picture that had been his only company during his incarceration.

Mikael sat tiredly on the big chair watching the photo of a smiling blonde little boy whose joy and life had been robbed from him too soon.  
An unexpected tear glistened on his eye as the memory of Henrik's laughter filled his mind, with a harsh intake he had his drink hopeful it would silence it.

* * *

He skipped dinner but he wasn't going to bed just yet, Elijah was lazily walking down the hallway when his high hopes that it was Katherine returning his call this time came out a win because her name appeared on his screen.  
"I miss you." he said upfront and without taking a breather.

_"My dashing man misses me…" _she purred satisfied into the call.  
"You do not miss me?" he closed himself inside the den.

As always Katherine was slick in her answer and intentions. _"I was thinking of you today when I arrived to the hotel… all the sexy clothes I was wearing reminded me of how much you would enjoy seeing them on me." _  
"Is there a reason why there are no photos on my phone yet?" he protested.

"_I could describe what I'm wearing right now…" _her voice cunningly dropped to a sizzling vibe.  
Before Elijah answered Finn pushed the door of the den open. "Are you busy? I wanted to talk to you about this idea I had to conquer Sage once and for all, it involves chocolate and singing. Maybe not from me but Bonnie and Caroline are really good singers, if you could help me convince them to help me..."

Elijah looked at him in disbelief, while Finn went on speaking Katherine was describing in detail what she was wearing and how she was removing it from her body.  
"You look busy…" Finn squinted.

Elijah stood up. "I'm in the middle of a very important business call, it's regarding one of those machines you love so much."  
"Oh, all right." Finn backed away to the door with another whisper. "I'll leave you to it then."

Elijah smiled closing the door on Finn's face and turned the key on the lock, he eased the tie around his neck and went back to the chair.  
"Where exactly did you say that your hand was Katherine?" he asked gravely.

Katherine evilly laughed. _"Where do you want it to be?"_

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Here comes your man – _Meaghan Smith_

Budapest – _George Ezra_

Feel it now – _Black Rebel Motorcycle Club _

Man of a thousand faces – _Regina Spektor  
_  
1000 Sundowns – _Emma Louise_

She's so mean_ - Matchbox Twenty _


End file.
